The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-05-26

bers is felt by every one present, and
with wonderful effect.
School lasts exactly one hour, and the
dismissal is as interesting sight as was
the entrance. A bell sounds, a stirring
drum march rolls through the hall, and
Sections 1. of boys and girls rise and
march out, following their respective
leaders, who carry banners with the
numbers of their sections. The other
sections remain seated until their signal
is given, when they follow with military
precision. at the door each scholar calls
his number, which corresponds to his or
her name upon the roll. These numbers
are taken down, and in This way the
attendance is checked, and absentees
and sick ones looked after by the mission
pastor during the week.
The four great events of the year are
the Christmas Festival, Easter Sunday,
the July Picnic, and the Harvest. Home.
The Christmas exercises are held on
! week day night, and consist of some nice
entertainment, a short address by the
Superintendent, singing by the school,
and at the close the distribution of a big
mountain of paper bags, each containing
an orange, candy, nuts and popcorn. It
is decidedly interesting to watch the.
expression on the little faces as each
receives the simple gift, and the sense of
importance and responsibility that
attaches to its possession. The rags and
cold hunger are all forgotten; so is the
cbeerless home to which they must
return. For the time the little hearts
which know few pleasures are filled with
Joy, for they have been to "the Christ.
mas"
On Easter Sunday the service is
chiefly one of song, and on this occasion
many of the finest singers in the
city make it their custom to visit the
school and lend their assistance With
instruments and song No richer music
peals from the finest choirs upon the cul-
tivated audiences of the wealthiest
churches; no grander anthems riug-no
sweeter hymns are sung in all the land
than are brought to these little ones at
/ -
Easter.
And do they appreciate it? The crowd
of boisterous boys who all the week feel
no restraining influence are for once
still; hush goes over the vast congre.
cation; one could almost hear a pin
drop; and as the sweet pathetic notes of
song pour forth, many q little dirty face,
| uplifted to the singers to catch every
sound, is furrowed with the great tears
that unconsciously, irresistibly respond
| to some tender chord, the child knows
not how or why.
But of all the days in. the year, the
picnic is the one looked forward to and
remembered with most interest. 1t
occurs about the middle of July, and is
held in charming grove on the shores
of Lake Michigan, some fifteen miles
from the city. What is truly remarkable
is that no one has ever been injured,
either in going, returning, or while upon
the grounds. As many as can bring
with them lunch, carrying it in baskets,
tin cans, pockets, bits of cloth, and one
boy, for want of any others means, once
carried his upon his head under what
might once have been hat.
On arriving at the grounds the "pic-
mic" is turned loose in the woods, and,
wild with delight, the children immedi-
ately commence general forage for
birds nests, flowers, butterflies, acorns,
frogs, and snakes. Swings are put up,
ball clubs organized, and team kept
hard at work bringing water for the
thirsty multitude At twelve o'clock;
they all return to headquarters, which
occupy space two hundred feet square,
enclosed by strong rope. The rations
are dealt out, consisting Of big cheeses,
boxes of herring, barrels of ginges.snaps
and crackers, lemonade and ice.cream;
and so systematically is this done that
every child receives its share, and no
more.
Having distributed every crumb of
these supplies, the games begin. Atone
end of the forum stand three judges; at
the other, the participants and the
starter; outside the rope are grouped the
eager audience of three thousand chill
dren.
First is the jumping race, contested by
one hundred boys; then there is the race
for bows over twelve, and another for
boys under twelve. These are followed
by races for the girls, who enter into the
sport with as much zest as their brothers.
Then come the sack races, three.legged
races, running races, and almost every
other imaginable kind of race, in all Of
which the girls compete, and receive
their cheers and prizes equally with the
boys. A grand tug of war, with hun.
dreds on eacb side, concludes the tourna'
ment.
AS the sun sinks slowly out of sight,
the tired but good-natured picknickers
return, bearing innumerable treasures
to be kept in memory of the event.
Some people might not prize them, but
to these city urchins they are as gold
Branches, weeds, wilted flowers, bits Of
moss and bark, feathers and sand, and
pebbles from the shore, frogs and toads
in pockets, and miserable little minnows'
in cans, and all sorts of rubbish, at once
worthless and yet beyond price, which
serve to carry gladness to hundreds of
homes.
The sewing. class. including among its